Bet Me (Finding My Way) Page 2

  “Did you all enjoy the dance?” he yells into the mic and laughs as the crowd erupts once again in cheers.

  “Even if Brooke doesn’t win the bet, I think she deserves something for that anyway. What do you think guys?” Cheers go up around us again and Andrew turns to me, lifting the mic up again “What’s it going to be Brooke? What do you want?” He smirks at me as if he already knows the answer. It quickly dawns on me that he knows exactly what he’s doing, I glare at him.

  “My top back” I fold my arms under my chest but quickly put them on my hips as whistles surround me.

  “She wants her top back guys. What do you think? Should we give it back to her?” he turns back to the crowd and boo’s almost deafen me. I glare at Andrew and pout at the crowd making them boo even harder. “I think that’s a no, Brooke. Choose something else” he laughs at me.

  I take the mic from the stand the band left and turn to the crowd.

  “But there really is nothing I want more than my top” I say sweetly into the mic. Everyone groans and say no all at once.

  “I don’t think they want you to have it back” Andrew says into his mic smiling and shaking his head at me.

  “Hmm … but this is between me and you” I sigh into the mic

  “It is” he nods “and I say, you’re not getting your top back” he smirks

  “Hmmm” I ponder still talking into the mic and taking a step towards Andrew, licking my bottom lip I watch his eyes follow my tongue and his throat working when he swallows “I could always convince you,” I say huskily into the mic and taking a step towards him as he takes a step back holding up his hands ignoring the crowd cheering.

  “I don’t doubt for a second that you could get me to agree to anything in under five minutes,” He shakes his head at me smiling.

  I continue my path towards him and stop when our bodies are touching. I wrap and my arms around his shoulders so the mic is just behind the ear that’s facing the crowd, I turn to them wink and then whisper into the mic and his ear, “Two minutes.”

  “Uh-Nuh, we’re not playing this game,” he says turning his head and speaking into the mic resting on his shoulder.

  “Okay” I shrug and take a step back “I could always kick your ass” The crowd laugh and Andrew chuckles as he shakes his head at me.

  “You’re giving up your seduction after thirty seconds?” he says into his mic disbelievingly.

  “It’s the same amount of time you hang around for the morning after one of your seductions isn’t it?” I reply sweetly.

  He looks at his watch and turns towards the bar. Lifting his mic “How’d she do Will, five hundred?” he asks. We both watch as Will shakes his head unable to hide his smile.

  “So you know what that means guys? It means that for your very own entertainment, Brooke will be dancing on this bar twice a week for the next month. So do yourself a favour and make sure you don’t miss it!” he announces and once again we are surrounded by applause and cheers.

  “Hey! I thought I still got something even if I lost?” I moan to the room.

  “Well it depends on what you want?” Andrew replies turning his attention back to me.

  “If I ask you not to make another bet with me for a month, will you agree?” I ask already knowing the answer.

  “Definitely, not. It’s too cute watching you refuse then getting all stubborn and taking the bet anyway” he states seriously, making everyone laugh again.

  “Fine. I want you to take your top off” I demand.

  “What? Why?” he asks confused.

  “Well if I have to walk around in a bikini top all night and everyone gets to look at me, I want something distracting to look at too” I smirk as the females in the room cheer.

  He shakes his head at me and I stomp over to him, to start unbuttoning his shirt much to his amusement. “Take it off” starts being chanted so I rip the rest of his shirt open sending buttons flying off the stage. The crowd laugh at my impatience and I lean up to plant a quick kiss on his chest, then with a wink I jump off the stage and head back behind the bar.

  “If you see me agreeing to another bet ever again, pull me away and lock me in a room please” I beg Lucy once we’ve served everyone at the bar and it’s quiet for a few minutes.

  “It’s just too damn funny to watch” she shakes her head at me laughing.

  “You know, if you ever consider leaving here, I will kidnap you and bring you back” Will says as he makes his way over to us chucking to himself. “I’ve never know a place to be so busy and business has never been so good since you started making bets with Andrew” he says in my ear as he pulls me under his arm.

  “Oh so it’s not because I’m fun to be around, it’s all about the money” I reply dryly when he releases me and walks back into the office.

  “I should quit just to get back at him for taking advantage of my embarrassing situations” I mutter to Lucy.

  “You get yourself into them, we just enjoy watching them” she laughs and turns to serve the next customer.

  “What can I get you boys?” I ask as two of the band members stand in front me.

  “Two beers please” the guitarist asks giving me a once over. I turn to get their drinks and as I’m opening them I glance up to see them watching me with matching smiles. I smile back.

  “So are you playing here often now then?” I ask

  “Most weekends I think” The guitarist answers “Is it always this entertaining here?” he carries on amused.

  “No, only when I’m betting apparently” I mutter.

  “Glad we could see it. I’m Derek”

  “And I’m Cam” the drummer puts in.

  “I’m Brooke,” I smile back at them “The one who always finds herself in some embarrassing situation as the result of a bet”

  They both laugh and turn when someone stands in between them.

  “Hey Brooke,” Tucker smiles softly at me. I take a minute to take him in. It doesn’t hurt as much as I thought it would to look at him. I still have the pain in my chest but it’s not as bad as it was. I still have butterflies whenever I see him though, which surprises me. He hasn’t changed much, he’s put on some weight but it’s all muscle from what I can tell by his plain white t-shirt, stretching across his arms and chest. His hair is a bit longer but still the same sandy brown it always was and his eyes are still the same light blue.

  “Brooke?” he asks frowning at my staring.

  I shake my head and relax my features.

  “It’s been a while, Tuck” I smile “You’re looking good” I nod at him.

  “You look happy,” he smiles kindly at me “It suits you”

  “I am” I smile back. His eyes trail down my body and he raises an eyebrow at my missing top “I lost a bet, it happens often, not the no top thing, the losing a bet thing” I explain making him smirk.

  “Well its better than those god awful baggy things you used to wear”

  “Hey! There was nothing wrong with those, they were comfortable” I defend.

  “I thought of a way you can get your top back, it includes me, you and a hotel room” Andrew says to me leaning across the bar next to Tucker. I roll my eyes and pick up a piece of lime from under the bar to throw it at him making him duck and laugh. “Okay what about another bet?” he asks oblivious to Tucker staring at him and Cam and Derek watching us amused.

  “No more bets!” I plead adding a pout.

  “Fine no more bets tonight, you know I can’t resist that pout of yours” he sighs “Until tomorrow that is” he winks at me and walks away laughing at my growl.

  “Friend of yours?” Tucker asks searching my eyes.

  “That’s Andrew,” I frown at him “You’ve met him before. Remember when we came down here with Sophie, Matt, Luke and Kate?”

  “Oh, right,” I see recognition flash in his eye “Of course, I remember now. It’s just been a while, I guess”

  “Do you two know each other?” Cam asks looking between me and Tucker.


  “We used to,” I reply breaking eye contact. “Shit … quick one of you take your top off please” I beg as I watch Andrews’s brother walking towards the bar.

  “Uhh ... Excuse me?” Derek asks confused.

  “Please someone give me your top to wear” all three just stare at me like I’m crazy.

  As he gets closer I jump down behind the bar and scowl at the three heads poking over the top of the bar laughing at me, Lucy walks over so I grab her hand to pull her down with me.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Please get me a top to wear” I plead desperately.

  “Why?” she asks standing up and then spotting Dan she starts laughing at me but turns to get me a shirt from the pile we keep in a box under the bar. I pull it on and do up the first few buttons then stand as I tie the bottom in a knot. “You know, he’s seen you naked so, I think it’s too late to be shy” she smirks at me I ignore her, Derek and Cam who are laughing at me and Tucker who is turning to watch as I jump over the bar.

  “I heard you lost another bet babe” Dan grins at me as he pulls me into a hug.

  “Try three. I lost three bets” I pout at him.

  “Hey Luce, she been behaving?” He asks laughing as he puts me under his arm.

  “Does she ever?” she smirks back at him.

  “I am here you know” frown at the both.

  “What did you bet against this time?” Dan asks looking down at me.

  “That I could go to the bar and not get hit on by three people. That one was a set up, I’m sure of it. And that I could dance on the bar and bring in five hundred from drinks, I don’t know what the result on that one was. Knowing Will, I won but he lied just so I’d do it again” I explain.

  “And what did you lose to them?”

  “Andrew had to do a body shot off me for the getting hit on bet and for the bar dance bet, I have to dance on it twice a week for a month”

  “Tell him about the third bet” Lucy laughs, making Cam, Derek and Tucker all turn to me expectantly.

  “I bet that I could go ten minutes without making a sarcastic comment” I mutter glaring at Tucker who snorts the loudest.

  “It is not that hard to do! I could do it if he wasn’t so bloody full of himself!” I protest.

  “I can’t believe you even tried to win that bet, you should have known better. If there was ever person to lose that one, it’s you” Dan laughs down at me making me fume.

  “Hey! you’ve gone back on the bet” Andrew glares at me taking in my shirt. I struggle so I can get out of Dan’s grip and stomp my way to the stage.

  Picking up a mic, I face the crowd and watch as everyone in the club turns to look at me as the music stops. I hear a few people yell that I’ve put a top back on and roll my eyes.

  “Yes that’s right; I’ve put a shirt on. Does anyone have a problem with that?” I ask as Will comes out of the office to watch what’s going on.

  I smile as the crowd shouts yes. “So you think it’s fair that I have to work all night without a top on? I would like to wear a shirt for the last hour of my shift please” a chorus of no’s go up around me. “Well that’s a damn shame because I don’t need any ones permission to wear clothes” I snap at them all.

  “Maybe if you didn’t have a flippant reply to everything, you wouldn’t have lost the top in the first place” Andrew’s voice comes over the speakers and I see him sitting on the bar with a mic in his hand, smirking at me.

  “I don’t have a reply for everything” I say offended.

  “Oh really?” he shakes his head laughing at me.

  “I’ll ask you one question; if you answer it nicely then you can keep the top. If not you lose it”

  “Am I the only one who thinks this whole thing is kind of perverted?” I ask turning to the crowd who just nod.

  “Ready?” Andrew asks chuckling and Lucy whispers in his ear.

  “What would be your first thought if you woke up naked, next to me in bed?”

  “Huh … it’s kind of warm considering hell has just frozen over” I reply without thinking and wince when everyone laughs at my inability to not say the first thing that comes into my mind.

  “My point is proven. Now loose the top” Andrew says smugly.

  I turn to him and glare at Lucy who is bent over laughing, Cam and Derek have been joined by the other two band members and are all chuckling, and Tucker just looks amused. Smiling to myself I turn back to the crowd.

  “I tell you what, how about I lose the shirt and the bikini top?” I ask and turn back to the bar to see Andrew no longer looking smug.

  “Have you all met the new band?” I ask the crowd. “Why don’t you all come up here and bring a jug of water each from Lucy?” I call over to them and wink at the crowd who watch amazed as the guys make their way over to me.

  “Hey Brooke”

  “Max!” I throw my arms around the bassist “I didn’t recognise you!”

  “You either, it’s been a while! It’s good to see you” he squeezes me.

  I turn back to the crowd once Max has let me go.

  “Okay guys, this is the band that will now be entertaining you most weekends. They’re called Stuck Luck and they will also be playing the songs that I have to dance on the bar to. So anyway we have Cam, Derek, Jamie, Max and this,” I turn and pointing “is Tucker. Tucker and I went to university together” A loud cheers goes up and I take a step towards him smiling.

  “What are you doing Brooke?” he asks nervously around his smile making me grin.

  “Don’t worry, I won’t hurt you” I smile into the mic making the crowd laugh.

  I put the mic by the handle into my mouth, taking the jug out of his hands; I place it on the floor and pull his white t-shirt up over his head.

  We’re rewarded with a loud squeal from the women in the club to which I wink at him.

  Completely turning my back to the crowd now, I take off my shirt and put his T-shirt on over my head once it’s on, I undo the knot of my bikini that’s behind my head and pull it down my legs and step out of it. I catch Tucker staring at my chest and roll my eyes at him “nothing you haven’t seen before” I whisper to him before turning back to the crowd.

  “Brooke” Andrew warns into his mic, picking up on what I’m about to do.

  “Try not to have a heart attack honey” I reply to him and gesture for the band to come forward.

  “Soak her, Soak her” the crowd chants and as soon as the band catches on they all start laughing and shaking their head.

  “This was definitely the best idea we had, moving here” I hear Cam say behind me.

  “You have no idea” Tucker mutters back.

  “What are you waiting for boys?” I call into the mic before rolling it across the floor to the other side of the stage and getting down onto my knees, just as five jugs of ice cold water come pouring down on my head and chest. The Crowd erupts and the DJ puts the music back on. Thanks to Andrew still holding his mic I can hear him Lucy, Dan and Will all laughing into it.

  “Did I mention how good it is to see you again? Tucker smiles at me as he helps me up and off the stage.

  “Sorry about your T-shirt” I shrug at him smirking.

  “Oh hey Jo, This is Tucker, Tucker this is Joanne” I introduce them both and head back to the bar not looking back but hearing her giggle “Call me Jo”.

  “So, who’s the guy?” Lucy asks handing me a towel so I can attempt to stop my hair from dripping all over the floor.

  “Who?” I ask from under my towel.

  “The one you just left half naked”

  “Oh … That would be Tucker Lloyd, we went to uni together. Do you remember when my friend Sophie visited?” I ask tuning to watch Tucker and Jo with her.

  “Yeah” she says not taking her eyes off him.

  “Well remember her boyfriend Matt? Tucker’s his cousin”

  “He’s cute” she notes.

  “Yeah” I agree to the understatement of the century.<
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  “So anyway, what’s he like?” She asks turning to face me.

  I shrug “Well tonight’s the first time I’ve spoken and seen him in two years, so I don’t really know what he’s like anymore”

  “What was he like then?” She pushes.

  “Umm …. Outgoing, confident, had sex with anything with legs…” I trail off.

  “So basically he’s Andrew”

  “Worse than Andrew”

  “And hotter” she sighs.

  “Just be careful. From what I remember, he was only ever interested in one thing, and it wasn’t how you got home in the morning” I caution noting the gleam in her eyes.

  “Do you two have history?” she asks turning back to the crowd.

  “We used to friends” I reply turning around with her and catch Tuckers eye, he’s been watching us.

  “Used to be?” she asks confused.

  “When I left, I never wanted to see him again” I sigh and walk away to serve my last drink of the night.

  That night when I get home, I head straight for my bedroom. Kneeling on the floor, I pull out the box from under my bed that’s full of things from my life before I moved here.

  Curled up on my bed over the covers, I flick through some of the photos I haven’t looked at for two years. I watch the first tear fall on the photo in my hand and trail a wet line directly between me and Tucker. I stash the photos under my pillow and cry softly into the empty room until sleep swallows me.

  For the first time in two years, I don’t sleep peacefully as the old nightmares return.

  TWO

  “Brooke!” Lucy calls me over to me as I make my way through the bar. “I’m getting off in a minute” she grins at me.

  “Want a hand?” I ask noticing the large group of girls waiting for their drinks.

  “Don’t you dare, it’s your birthday. Give me two minutes, Andrew’s already got a table” she points with her head and I turn to see where he is sat.

  “Why are the band sat there?” I ask as I watch Tucker and Andrew throw their heads back laughing.

  “Oh, Andrew and Tucker have gotten close” she says as if I should already know this.